Circuit-breaker.



4 N0. 723,133. PATENTED MAR. 17, 1903..

R. H. READ.

- 'CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE ze, 1901.

lo MODEL.

. 5 o) e 3 www m um W F/ga UNITED STATES PATENT AOFFICE.

ROBERT H. READ, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRICCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

'CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,183, dated March17, 1993.

.T0/ali whom, t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT ILREAD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Breakers, (Case No. 1,739,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic circuitbreakers, the design being topermit the safe rupture of currents of large amperage and highpotential.

In ar companion application of earlier date I described acircuit-breaker employing tubular electrodes with means for driving ablast of air across the arc at the moment of circuit rupture, so thatthe arc products are driven in the tubes and the arc ruptured by theirremoval from the terminals.

My presentinvention relates toa deviceof the same general character, theobject being to render the device self-contained and capable ofgenerating gaseous pressure within itself. In carrying out the inventionI mount the tubular electrode or electrodes so as to inclose the pointof circuit rupture within a boX or chamber and provide means forgenerating a body of gas under pressure when the circuit is to beopened. In the particular type of self-contained instru ment describedherein I apply gnnpowder or similar highly combustible or explosivematerial as the gasifying medium, which is ignited by means controlledby an overload magnet or similar device acting at a determinate currentcondition. When the magnet operates, a blow is delivered to priming incoperative relation to the powder charge, and the accumulating pressureis employed to force apart the electrodes, simultaneously driving thearc products back through the tubes and Application led J-une 29. 1901.Serial No. 68.460.. (No model.)

the. cartridge-magazine and its feed device. Fig. 3 is a sectionaldet-ail of the wall of the arc-inclosing chamber by which communicationis effected with the magazine. Figs. 4 55 and 5 are a face view and aside elevation, respectively, of the same. Figs. 6 and 7 are detailsshowing the cartridge-retainer. Figs. 8 and 9 are a face view and a sideelevation, respectively, of the cartridge-magazine; and 6o Figs. 10 and1l are views of a cartridge elnployed. r

1` and 2 represent tubular metallic electrodes, one of which may befixed and the other movable. The coperating ends are tapered to fitsnugly together to aiord a good conductive path for the current. Themovable electrode is provided with a piston 3, of insulating material,adapted to slide freely Within a chamber 4, inclosing the abutting 7oends of the tubular electrodes.- The walls of this chamber may be formedof metal or may be of insulating material, such as liber or wood,wire-wound. A metal chamber is shown and is lined with fireproofmaterial and provided with insulating-plugs at the ends,firmlysecuredinanysuitable way. Cu-rrent may be led to the movable electrode by a groupof elastic contact-fingers 5, fixed to a metal ring screwed to one ofthe insulating- 8o plugs, to which 'a terminal 6 is connected. 'A collar7 limits the opening movement of the movable electrode. The latter isprovided with a handle of insulating material 8 to permit hand-closing.A spring-pin 9, engaging a notch in the wall of the movable tube, holdsthe circuit closed and permits a desired accumulation of pressure aroundthe contacts before the circuit is broken. An opening is formed in thewall of the arc-inclosing charn- 9o ber, as indicated at 10, and acartridge-disk 1l is mounted on a stud l2, fixed in the wall of thechamber. It is held elastically in its seat againstl the wall by a shorthelical spring, as indicated in Fig. 1. The face of the wall is providedwith a plain surface, as indicated in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the outer edgeof the opening 10 being provided with a countersunk recess 13, intowhich is forced by the spring an annular ridge on the inside of the roocartridge-disk, terminating each opening in the same, as will beunderstood from inspection of Fig. 1. The disk is provided with as manycartridge-openings as desired, so as to form a magazine adapted to admitof repeated use of the circuit-breaker after being loaded. Five chambersare shown. VA movable cap 14, having projections, as 15, to lock thecartridges in place, is mounted on the'disk. This cap may have a numberof prongs 16 16, &c., which pass through wide slots in the disk, asindicated at 17 17a, &c., and may be then bent out so as to lock it inposition, as indicated in Fig. 7. By turning the cap with respect to thedisk the cartridges may be inserted, and then by shifting theprojections 15 in alinement with the cartridges they are locked in thedisk. 'The cartridge may be formed of a copper shell having acylindrical chamber, and in order to prevent a violent explosion Iemploy a solid powder charge of square or prismatic form,. as indicatedat 18, leaving a small amount of free air-space around the powder andpreventing any violent increase ofpressure and avoiding eX- pulsion ofthe powder from the shell. I prefer to employ smokeless powdercompressed into prismatic form, by which a slow-burning property iscommunicated, thus guarding against too rapid increase of pressure,which would endanger the safety of the apparatus and preventing depositof solid matter in the tubular electrodes. A light Wad, as indicated at19, Fig. 1, may be placed outside of the block 'of powder, sc as toprevent access of moisture to the priming.

A spring-retracted exploder 20'is mounted on a suitable bracket fastenedto the apparatus, in cooperative relation to the head of which is ahammer 21,' connected with a pinl 22, mounted in the axis of a coil 23,the core of which is normally gavitatively retracted, but within grip ofthe magnetic field, as indicated in Fig. 1. An adjusting-screw tocalibrate the tripping-point of the circuitbreaker is provided, asindicated at 24. The cartridge-magazine may be provided with a number ofteeth, as 25, forming a ratchetfeed with a pawl 26, pivotally mounted ona lever 27, connected with the movable electrode of the circuit-breaker.l An openingis provided in the electrode-inclosing chamber below thepiston, as indicated at 28, to permit rapid retraction of themovableelectrode.

A number of lateral openings 29 may be provided above a barrier 30,connected with the handle above the point at which the operator gripsthe movable terminal. Thus in closing the circuit the operator graspsthe handle 8 and pushes the movable electrode up until the circuit iscompleted, as indicated in Fig. 1. In doing so the lever 27 is lifted,thereby rotating the cartridge-disk and bringing one of the cartridgesin communication with the opening 10, thereby setting thecircuit-breaker for automatic release. In case of an overload on thecircuit the armature is raised by the trip-coil 23, delivering ahammer-blow to the pin 22, thereby firing the priming in the cartridgein a manner similar to the explosion of a cartridge used in a rearm.This ignites the prism of powder, which burns with comparative slowness,delivering pressure within the chamber around the abutting electrodes.After this pressure has reached a value sufficient to start the movableelectrode the latter falls under pressure and gravity or an assistingspring, if desired, and a hot blast of carbonic-acid gas and otherproducts of combustion is driven toward the ends of both tubes,instantly extinguishing the arc. In resetting the circuinbreaker a newcartridge is automatically shifted into operative relation to thepressure-chamber around the electrodes, and the apparatus is again readyfor action.

While I have shown a specific way of igniting the combustible materialor explosive, I desire to have it understood that other methods ofgenerating the pressure-gases may be employed without departing from thescope of my invention. For example, I may ignite by electric means andeven by the arc itself, as described in a copending application, SerialNo. 69,893, filed July 27, 1901. `I do not restrict the invention,moreover, to any particular gasifying material, as a wide range ofselection obtains in this particular.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimas new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. Means for extinguishing electric arcs comprising relatively movableelectrodes, a

piston for separating the same, and means re- V sponsiveto predeterminedconditions of the circuit including the electrodes for deliveringgaseous pressure to the piston and at the arc to open the circuit. i

2`. Means for extinguishing electric arcs comprising a movableelectrode, an inclosure 4comprising relatively movable electrodes,

means for shifting them together or apart, a gasitying material, meansfor causing the latter to generate pressure at a determinate current inthe circuit, and means for directing the gas to extinguish the arc.

4. .Means for extinguishing electric arcs comprising relatively movableelectrodes, a piston connected to a movable electrode, achambercontaining the piston and the contact ends of the electrodes, agasifying medium, and means for generating pressure thereby when thecurrent attains a determinate value.

5. A circuit-breaker comprising relatively movable electrodes, amagazine containinga plurality of gasgenerating charges, means forshifting the charges successively into operative relation to theelectrodes, an automatic VIl() device for releasing gas from thecharges, and means for extinguishing the arc by the released gas.

6. A circuit-breaker comprising relatively movable electrodes, means forshiftingv them together or apart, a combustible charge, an ignitingdevice, and means for directing the resulting pressure to extinguish thearc.

7. Acircuit-breakercomprisingoneorinore tubular electrodes, an explosivecharge, an igniting device operated at a determinate current value, andmeans for directing a blast of gas by the pressure generated through thetubular electrode and across the arc.

8. Acircuit-breakercomprisingone or more tubular electrodes, a cartridgemagazine, means for shifting the cartridges successively into operativerelation to the electrodes, an exploder acting at a determinate currentvalue, and means for directing the resulting pressure through thetubular electrode to extinguish the arc.

9. A'circuit-breakercomprisingone or more tubular electrodes, a chambercommunicating therewith, an explosive cartridge in communication withthe chamber, and electro? magnetic devices for firing the cartridge at adeterminate current value.

flO. A circuit-breaker comprising one or more tubular electrodes, achamber communicating therewith, a cartridgemagazine, means for shiftingthe cartridges successively into communication with the chamber, and anelectric firing device for the cartridges.

11. A circuit-breaker provided with a movable electrode, an explosivefor blowing ont the arc, and electromagnetic means for firing theexplosive.

12. A circuit-breaker comprising one or more tubular electrodes, apiston controlling their separation, an explosive for operating the-piston and delivering gaseous pressure across the arc, and automaticmeans for igniting the explosive at a desired. time.

13. A circuit-breaker provided with a movg able terminal, a slowburningexplosive charge for delivering grad ually-accumulatin g pressure toextinguish the arc, a chamber communicating with the movable terminal inwhich pressure is stored, connections for delivering a blast transverseto the arc, and means for igniting the charge. Y

14. A circuit-breaker comprising a tubular electrode, a cartridge fordelivering pressure to the tube to extinguish the arc of circuitrupture, said cartridge containing a. slowburning powder, and automaticmeans for igniting the charge.

15. A circuit-breaker comprising a `tubular electrode, a cartridge fordelivering pressure to the tube to extinguish the arc of circuitrupture, said cartridge containing a solid block of explosive powder, anautomatic igniter controlled by the current, and means for preventingthe expulsion of the powder from the cartridge-shell.

. 16. Means for extinguishing the arc formed on opening an electriccircuit, comprising circuit-terminals, a closed chamber having a ventintercepting the arc when formed, an explosive compound within thechamber, and means for igniting the same whereby a blast of gas isdriven throughthe vent across the to ignite the cartridge, and means fordirecting the gas-pressure to separate the electrodes and extinguish thearc.

ln witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of June,1901.

ROBERT H. READ.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, MARGARET E. WooLLEY.

